Intel to unviel dual-core server chip

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Intel Corp., the largest semiconductor maker, is expected to unveil today its first server processors that place multiple microprocessors on a single piece of silicon, stepping up its efforts to compete head-to-head with Advanced Micro Devices, which introduced its first dual-core server chip in the spring.

Intel has been developing the new Xeon processors under the code- name Paxville. The dual-core chip technology used in the servers effectively speeds performance while preventing the overheating that can plague high-performing processors. Also today, the company will introduce a multicore version, putting four microprocessors on one piece of silicon.

In April, AMD, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., released dual-core versions of its Opteron server processor.

IBM and Dell have both said they will use Intel's newest Xeon processors in future machines. Last month, Dell said it was abandoning Intel's Itanium server chip in favor of the dual-core Xeon, and expected systems using the chip to show a 50 percent increase in speed over the single-core version.

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., released its last Xeon chip based on single-core technology in September. The dual-core and multicore Xeon chips were originally due in 2006, but in August, the company announced that development was ahead of schedule.

Intel said last month that it would deliver several higher- performing versions of the multicore Xeon in early 2006, followed by more advanced versions later in the year that would greatly reduce the chip's power consumption.

Copyright C 2005 Deseret News Publishing Co.
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.